Beyond Borders: Leveraging Cultural Ways of knowing

• In Event: A Broad Array of Criticalities and Lived Experiences in STEM Education: Llano Grande, Aztlán, México Profundo

Abstract

Objectives
This study challenges the standardized hegemonic science curriculum that excludes Chicanx cultural representation within the standardized curriculum, and advocates for a decolonial approach utilizing the underpinnings of social justice. Although there is a salient shift towards understanding an ecology of knowledges, there are still devaluations and decontextualization of Indigenous knowledges in our region.

Perspective(s) Theoretical framework
My decolonial framework stems from the critical dialogues of Anzulda’s (1987) borderland epistemology and Sousa Santos (2007) notions of pluriversal ecology of science knowledges. We attempt to open the door to recognizing community knowledges of our region (Freire, 1970) as knowers and doers of culturally sustaining science practices. Developed, expressed, and documented through the inquiry, this paper addresses culturally sustaining science practices related to the science curriculum in the Rio Grande Valley (RGV), Aztlán.

Methods, Techniques, or Modes of Inquiry
I employed testimonio to counter the dominant Anglophonic tones prevalent in science education. Grounded in Chicana feminist epistemology (Delgado Bernal, 1998), I utilize testimonio as my methodology to investigate how the personal narratives of Chicana pre-service teachers shape their understanding of critical approaches in early childhood science education.

Data Sources
Following testimonio methodology (Perez Huber, 2017), I engaged four preservice Chicana science teachers and also shared their testimonios through a family elder story and two focus group meetings, each of which extended emergent themes from the elder story. Student testimonios across data sources were explored by theme (Perez Huber, 2017) in representing respondents collective stories.

Findings
The major themes identified tensions between lived experiences and traditional science teaching, and the importance of leveraging community support. The participants discussed traditional knowledge systems passed down through dichos, storytelling, and experiences in the community. Centering their elders' knowledge as a pool of community wealth, the participants highlighted their elders as “knowers and doers” of science. Although their experiences are grounded within this region specifically, the participants also considered how knowledge of land and place could be used as a tool for understanding both themselves and the cultures of others (Bernal, 1998). These findings underscore the authenticity of Chicanas' narratives and empower them as catalysts for educational transformation.

Scholarly significance
The testimonios the Chicana teachers provide suggest a paradigm shift in science teacher preparation that incorporates cultural ways of knowing to enhance Chicanx connection with STEM content. This study holds the potential to profoundly influence the field of science education by advocating for more inclusive and culturally responsive approaches rooted in indigenous knowledge.

References
Anzaldúa, G. (1987). Borderlands/La frontera: The new mestiza. San Francisco, CA: Aunt

Deglado Bernal, D. (1998). Using a Chicana feminist epistemology in educational research. Harvard Educational Review, 68, 555–581.

Boaventura de Sousa Santos. (2007). Beyond abyssal thinking: From global lines to ecologies of knowledges. Review - Fernand Braudel Center for the Study of Economies, Historical Systems, and Civilizations, 30(1), 45–89.

Freire, P, (1970), Pedagogy of the oppressed. Continuum.

Pérez Huber, L. (2017). Healing images and narratives: Undocumented Chicana/Latina pedagogies of resistance. Journal of Latinos and Education, 16, 374-389.

Author

• Patricia Ramirez, University of Texas - Rio Grande Valley